As soon as I arrive home, I look at my phone for any messages. Nothing.

"So, James..."

"What about James?"

"He's actually pretty cool. I mean, I wouldn't date him, but I understand why your so into him."

I blush. "I'm not into him."

"Oh,really? You think I didn't notice when he held your hand?"

I blush harder. "I... Umm... You knew?"

He laughs silently. "It's okay, Lana. I'm not mad or anything. I thought it was really cute."

"I wouldn't care if you were mad. I thought I made that clear enough."

My phone goes off. Message alert. It's about freaking time!

Mom❤️: Lana, I left the spare key under the rocks by the garden. Love you, Mom.

Disappointed, I walk to the hiding spot and grab the key.

" Wrong person?"

"Definitely."

I unlock the door and Jay runs up the stairs to my room. I'm still lingering in the doorway, waiting. My phone goes off. 'No expectations.' I open the message without looking at the name I saved it on.

Joey🤢🤢: Hey, can we talk tomorrow? I miss you.
Lana🐼: We have nothing to talk about. And you can't miss me if we were barely ever friends. Leave me alone.
Joey🤢🤢: That's cool. Just hear me out. Come alone.
Lana🐼: Now you see, that sounds sketchy...
Joey🤢🤢: Fine. Bring Jay.
Lana🐼: And James. I don't trust you.
Joey🤢🤢: Who the hell is James?
Lana🐼: A friend.
Joey🤢🤢: Fine.

This is a horrible idea.

I head inside to my room where Jay is waiting for me. "What took you so long? I was so bored." Wow, this guy is dramatic.

"I was just texting an old enemy."

He moves my backpack to the floor and lies down on his stomach, elbows on the bed with his chin on both hands. "Spill the tea." is all he says before staring me down silently with a smile.

"It was Joey."

"No."

"And he kinda, sorta, maybe wants to talk to me."

He shakes his head in disapproval.

"But I'm taking you and James so it's okay." I add quickly.

"When?"

"Tomorrow morning before school starts."

He gets up and walks to my closet. "This damn girl, got me wasting mornings. Now I gotta go to school early. Now I gotta save her again." He mumbles and takes out the forgotten bottle of pepperspray from my closet."Take this. You'll need it."

I laugh and throw the pepperspray aside. "Lana, I'm serious. Don't go messing around with Joey Dumont again. He might just try something sketchy again!"

"Well,then it's a good thing I have two boys by my side as protection." I whisper as I take out my phone. James sent me a whole bunch of messages like 5 minutes ago.

Nerd🤓: Hey. Just finished my homework.
Nerd🤓: I'm bored now.
Nerd🤓: Hello?
Nerd🤓: Regina, you there!?
Nerd🤓: Are you okay!?
Nerd🤓: Are you still alive!?
Nerd🤓: If your dead, can you say hi to my dog for me?

I laugh while reading the messages.

Lana🐼: I'm still alive.

He almost immediately texts back.

Nerd🤓: Oh, good. Your alive. I was so close to informing FBI you've been murdered.
Lana🐼: OK, calm down. Don't get crazy.
Nerd🤓: OK, I won't... Again
Lana🐼: hahahaaa... Can I ask you a favour?
Nerd🤓: You can try *wink*
Lana🐼: hahaha, very funny. Do you remember Joey?
Nerd🤓: Tall, on my football team, can barely run or remember my name, talks a lot of nonsense, is trying to date you... That Joey?
Lana🐼: I don't know about the rest, but the last one is pretty much him. Anyways, he asked me to meet him tomorrow before school starts.
Nerd🤓: Well, I hope you told him no.
Lana🐼: About that... I said yes.
Nerd🤓: Lana...
Lana🐼: And your coming with me.
Nerd🤓: Well, I sure do hope so. You need someone to protect you. And bring Jay too. We need to beat him in numbers.
Lana🐼: Good lord, James. We are meeting up for a talk, not WW3. Chill.
Nerd🤓: OK, but if he tries something, I wanna hurt him
Lana🐼: Jay will probably get to him first, but you can try getting a hand in.
Nerd🤓: Or we could just not go. That seems like the smarter option here.
Lana🐼: I never go back on my word, James. It's one of those things.
Nerd🤓: Wow. You really are something smh.
Lana🐼: So your coming?
Nerd🤓: Obviously.
Lana🐼: Thanks, I owe you one.
Nerd🤓: Well, duhh. I don't work for free. I got a family to feed.
Lana🐼: What family? Your sixteen.
Nerd🤓: It's a saying
Lana🐼: For people with families.
Nerd🤓: Fine. I got a self to feed. Was that better?
Lana🐼: Yeah, I guess.

Jay is scrambling through my snack drawer. If he finds my false bottom and discovers all my chocolates, I'm as good as dead.

Lana🐼: Thanks, nerd. I gotta go now.
Nerd🤓: One more question: can I bring a mace incase things get messy.
Lana🐼: I don't care. Just don't mention my name in the court case.
Nerd🤓: Got it. Bye. See you tomorrow.
Lana🐼: Right, and I can't wait to meet your mace.
Nerd🤓: I'll tell him you say hi.
Lana🐼: Would you? Your an angel. Thanks.
Nerd🤓: Anything for a friend.
Lana🐼: Yeah.

I dont like that word. Friend. I'm gonna need to get rid of that word.